This invention relates to automatic graphical element placement.
Using modern graphics programs, such as the drawing program Adobe Illustrator.RTM., produced by Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif., a user is able to select a graphical pattern for a drawing, and then place individual instances of the pattern wherever desired on the drawing being created. For example, the user may desire to place a border around a drawing. To create the border, the user would select a graphical pattern and then place instances of the pattern around the periphery of the drawing.
To save the user time in individually placing the graphical patterns so as to form a border or other shape, certain programs support a tiling process for placing graphical patterns or other shapes such that graphically pleasing borders can be produced automatically. One such program is described in U.S. Ser. No. 08/580,472, filed Dec. 28, 1995, and entitled "AUTOMATIC GRAPHICAL PATTERN PLACEMENT", incorporated herein by reference. The user sketches or selects a path on an electronic document, and selects a graphical pattern to apply to the path. The program then automatically places instances of the pattern along the path such that the graphical pattern follows the orientation and curvature of the path. In this manner, graphically pleasing borders or shapes can be produced with only a minimal amount of user time. However, sometimes the user prefers to use shapes other than regular tiles, and prefers that such graphical elements be positioned and oriented in a less regular or rigid fashion. It is time consuming for the user to select each individual graphical element manually and alter the image separately.